It seems like the interest of collecting may have become a memory of days gone by. It used to be that you couldn’t walk into someone’s Mill Hall house and not find Stamps and Coins, Paper Weights or a Winnie the Pooh collection.
Mill Hall baby-boomers were obsessed collecting items. The tendency today is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to downscale or sadly when a collector family member passes what do you do with their Stamps and Coins, Cookie Jars or Winnie the Pooh collection?
You could try to sell the Pooh Bear Collectibles online. Some of the problems you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, creating inviting listing descriptions, locating postage, packaging materials and weighing each item, answering question messages from potential buyers, handling returns on damaged items, etc.
Also, figuring out pricing can be challenging. Great Aunt may have paid $40 for an item but the online going rate is only $2.79. You need to ask yourself the question “is my time worth just a few dollars”? Online selling can take a significant amount of time.
You can give it to a place like a Mill Hall Goodwill. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Grandmother’s beloved collection being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Mill Hall kids place. However, many places only accept items that are new, in the original boxes and are 5 years old or newer. Plus, your Mother really took care of the plush and displayed them. Some people have a hard time with a plush collectible becoming a plush child toy.
Over the years I have been approached by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will accept Pooh Bear Collectibles.
My answer is with great excitement! I am always honored and humbled to – in my words – “to take care of their collection”.
If I am talking to the Mill Hall collector and owner I let them know which numbers their items will be in the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection. Their collectibles becomes part of history vs. being sold for a buck at a rummage sale. I let them know I will showcase their donated collection along with mine. I consider their items as THEIR collection in my database.
When someone donates Pooh Collectibles I think it makes people feel better which I am happy for. Letting go of “things” can be hard for a collector and owners and even sometimes for relatives. As much as we don’t want to be labeled as “materialistic” – things we buy and collect can have sentimental attachments and it’s those feelings that we are attached to probably more than the items. People remember where they were when they purchased an item, who they were with or even where in their life cycle they were. They don’t want those memories to vanish with the collection. You can put a price tag on a stuffie or figurine but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Pooh Items to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays grouped and the memories are still there too. In fact, if the owner wants, they can even visit their collection when traveling from Mill Hall to Wisconsin.
If you have a collection of Winnie the Pooh items to donate, feel free to email me and we can coordinate adding your Great Aunt’s Pooh Bear Items to history and the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633